Home automation refers to the use of computer and information technology to control home systems, such as lighting, HVAC, audio-visual, smoke detection, security, and shading, among others. Using specialized hardware, even household appliances can be monitored and controlled automatically. A feature of science fiction for many years, home automation has only recently become practical, both from a technological and cost perspective. This is due to the rapid advancement of information technology.
A sophisticated home automation system may include sensors (e.g., temperature, light, motion detection, etc.), controllers (e.g., a general-purpose personal computer or a dedicated automation controller, etc.), and actuators (e.g., motorized valves, switches, etc.). The system also includes a human-machine interface device that enables a resident of the home to interact with the system. The interface can be a specialized terminal or an application (“app”) running on a smart phone or tablet computer. The various system devices communicate over dedicated wiring, or over a wired network, or wirelessly, using one or more protocols.
The sensors that are present in a home automation system typically include one or more of: motion sensors, temperature sensors, light sensors, and air quality sensors. Using such sensors, a home automation system is capable of triggering certain events as a function of sensor readings, such as turning on lights when motion is detected or when ambient light is low, controlling HVAC systems in response to temperature variations, and so forth.
Sensors can be packaged in a housing having a relatively small form factor and can be mounted in various ways (e.g., magnetically, via suction cup, via double-sided tape, etc.). Also, multiple sensors can be packaged together in one unit.